The Laws of Attraction
by Dance in the Moonlight
Summary: Daniel likes Charlotte. Charlotte may like him back. But it's never really that easy, is it? Three Charladay oneshots from various prompts.
1. First Impressions

First Impressions

Daniel Faraday rushes awkwardly around a grey, city street corner. His scuffed, black shoes skid a little on the wet, gum-speckled pavement and he furrows his brow as he frets about being late for his very first meeting with his new associates. Rainwater drips steadily down the beaten brown briefcase in his clenched grip.

At last, panting a little, he heaves open the door of a rather dingy, long-forgotten café. Well, at least he attempts to. Then, taking note of the "push" sign pinned to the glass, he gives it a shove and the staggers into the café.

The near-empty coffee shop is populated by only four people. One woman, two men and one employee glaring at him as he slowly creates a puddle on the brown tiles.

His four new co-workers look up as he approaches, and he quickly takes each in.

A short, thin Asian man regards him darkly and flicks at an invisible speck of dust on the grimy tabletop. He doesn't greet him, and Daniel is already wary.

To the man's left, a pretty woman with long, red wavy hair gives him a quizzical half-smile and nods politely. "Daniel Faraday..?"

"Uh, yeah, Faraday. Daniel. I mean, Daniel Faraday. Hi." Daniel nervously holds out a hand to be shaken, and then immediately withdraws it self-consciously.

The woman holds out her own pale hand, teeming with confidence, and introduces herself in her clipped British accent. "Charlotte Lewis. Second in command. I assume you've met Naomi prior today?"

"Um…yeah, I did."

"Senior management my ass," mutters a man to Charlotte's left. He runs his hand though unkept grey hair and sips bitter coffee from the Styrofoam cup. "That girl's half my age, at least."

Daniel gives a nervous little laugh, glad that a small moment of informality could crack the ice, if not break it.

"Well, sit down, if you please," invited Charlotte briskly. "Lots to discuss."

"Yeah, good…" Daniel drops his briefcase by the table-leg and sits.

"M'Frank, by the way," the older man to Charlotte's left greets him with a raised hand, and Daniel can't help but notice he looks a little hung over.

Charlotte looks at the other man pointedly. He rolls his eyes at her, and in a tone dripping with contempt, introduces himself as Miles Straum.

_Miles Straum, _thinks Daniel. _I'd best make note of that- avoid Miles Straum at all costs._

And so they delve into conversation. Daniel barely registers what's being said, mainly for the reason that he can't tear his eyes away from Charlotte. She's so confident, and calculative.

Her blue-grey eyes glance briefly into his brown ones, and he feels as though he's being x-rayed. He hopes she doesn't see the heated red his ears have turned.

"And Dan- I can call you Dan, can't I? If that's alright?"

"Um…oh- yeah, sure. Of course."

He's almost sure he can see Miles roll his eyes again from the corners of his own. But for once, he doesn't really care what others think.

"Do you know anything about the properties of the island at the moment?"

"No. That is…not at the moment."

"Hmm. Well, I think you're findings will be quite interesting."

Forty-five minutes later, when everything that can be discussed has been, they wrap it up. Miles mutters something about having a job in town, and leaves abruptly. Frank makes his excuse too- he needs to catch his bus if he wants to make dinner with some old friends of his.

Daniel glances at the gap between the drawn blinds. It's stopped raining, and patchy beams of sunlight are breaking though the steely clouds.

"So," Charlotte grins as she pulls on her mahogany jacket. "You don't have to make dinner or have a job in town or feed the dog?"

"Nah. I'm not much of a dog person."

She laughs, and though Daniel hadn't fully intended the statement to be funny, he smiles to. She has a nice laugh.

"Mmm, nor me."

Daniel picks up his still-damp briefcase and Charlotte reaches for her closed black umbrella that had been dripping onto the floor.

"I suppose I'll see you next week then. On the Kahana." She smiles and holds out her hand for him to shake.

"Absolutely." He shakes it, holding on for just a fraction of a second longer than necessary.


	2. Odd Socks

Odd Socks

Daniel practically through himself out of his bunk on board the Kahaha. The freighter swayed, and he stumbled to one side grabbing onto the door-handle to steady himself. He glanced fleetingly at the cheap, plastic clock that ticked brusquely on the wall. Barely legible in the darkness of Daniel's cabin, the dark green figures read 8: 56.

"Eight fifty…" Daniel squinted in the dim light. With a jolt of dawning comprehension, he leapt for the scruffy suitcase that lay open at the foot of the rickety little bed. He _couldn't _be late.

He had changed within a minute, and finished doing his tie within two. Dragging a comb through his hair (he was fully aware that it would be untidy anyway, but he knew he should make the effort), he scooped up two socks floating around at the bottom of his suitcase.

The ship rocked again, and he hopped on one foot as he tugged on socks and shoes, fighting to keep his balance. He had never really gotten his sea legs- it didn't take much to make him seasick.

Finally, with about thirty seconds to spare, he hurtled out the door of the cabin.

* * *

"And there I was thinking you weren't coming," smiled Charlotte as he approached her. She looked tired, yet, as always, effortlessly pretty. Her red waves were pulled back into a messy ponytail, though a considerable quantity of hair had escaped at and was hanging loose by her neck.

"Do you, uh, want to go in…?" he asked.

"Sure."

They made their way into the depressing canteen, from where the smell of grease and coffee was already seeping into the other areas of the ship. It was almost empty at this in-between time. The early-birds of the Kahana had already left, and the mid-morning stragglers wouldn't arrive until nearly eleven.

"Thanks for coming down with me." Charlotte smiled. "I came down on my own yesterday, and just got flirted with by Jeff. You know, the mechanic working with Johnson. He's a little cocky for my taste."

Daniel felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. He mouth went dry, and he was even more lost for words than usual.

They walked to the empty serving-counter and picked up a tray each. Charlotte grabbed a plate of toast and a green apple, but Daniel just took a bowl of cereal. She made him feel to jumpy to eat properly.

They sat near the back of the canteen.

"You okay, Dan? You look shattered."

"Hmm, yeah, I didn't sleep much."

"I know what you mean. I don't think Widmore's really all that concerned with making his employees comfortable. A few days ago I was so tired I nearly put my top on backwards."

"I know what you mean," Daniel murmured, mirroring her words.

"Hmm. I'm sure you do…" Charlotte smirked, though not in a cruel way, and leaned over the table, looking down.

Daniel followed her gaze, and blushed.

Somehow he had managed to end up with his pant legs tucked into his socks.

His blush deepened to dark scarlet. Adding to the ridiculousness of it all, one sock was mustard yellow, the other sky blue.

Charlotte laughed and took a sip of tea. "Stylish, Dan. Really classy."

He half-grinned as she continued to chuckle, and they locked eyes for a moment. Maybe he should wear odd socks more often.


	3. Between Friends

Between Friends

"We're friends, sort of, right Daniel?"

Juliet took his moment's hesitation as permission to sit next to him in the sand.

He thought about her unexpected question.

"Well, friends of sorts. I mean, more so that Jack and Miles. More so than Charlotte and Kate. Dismissing the fact that you had a plan to shoot me and Charlotte the other evening," he replied slowly.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

There was a beat of silence before Juliet spoke again, tentatively. "Can I tell you a secret? Between friends?"

"Oh, um, yeah. Go ahead." Daniel tried to hide how perplexed he was by observing the excited groups of 815 survivors clustered around the beach. He would bring the first group to the freighter soon.

"I think…I'm in love with Jack. And… I don't think he loves me back. I think he loves Ka-… someone else."

"I'm…I'm sorry about, uh, you're relationship complications, but why…why are you telling me this?"

Juliet smiled that small, sad smile that Daniel had learned only women can truly master. "I…just needed to get it off of my chest. That's what friends are for, right?"

Daniel wavered. "Yeah, I guess so."

"And don't worry. She likes you."

Daniel's head snapped around so quickly he almost obtained a crick in his neck. "What? Who? What are you talking about?"

Juliet smiled softly and tilted her head slightly to one side, gesturing with her eyes for him to look where she was pointing.

Charlotte stomped across the sand further down the beach, turning around to argue heatedly with Miles. He was smirking, clearly enjoying antagonising her.

"What? Charlotte?" Daniel decided to drop the surprised act. "How do you know?"

"I'm a woman, I can tell these things. So don't worry about it. She _does _like you."

"I…I highly doubt that."

"Trust me, Dan. A smart guy like you? She'd be crazy not to. Well… she is a little nuts, actually. But she'd have to be mental home kind of crazy.

Daniel didn't speak for a moment. Charlotte looked as though she was fighting back the urge to punch Miles.

"So. You don't tell anyone what I just told you, and I won't tell anyone what I just forced out of you. Deal?"

"Deal."

* * *

**A/N: Okay, I've just realized that I haven't put any author's notes in this fic yet! **

**A big thank you to the reviewers so far.**

**As you can tell by this chapter, the oneshots aren't going in any particular order. **

**I always noticed how quickly Juliet took a liking to Dan. It's really sweet and very platonic.**


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